Grammaticalization of "Zai

Apart from the meaning of location, the post-predicate"Zai + Demonstrative Locatives" can express durative aspect and affirmative moods in some conditions during Ming and Qing dynasties. Stativity of the predicate words modified by the "Zai + Demonstrative Locatives" is the essential condition of grammaticalizaiton of the "Zai + Demonstrative Locatives". When the participants of event are in different positions or when a clause begins with structures expressing location or possession, the locative meaning of the "Zai + Demonstrative Locatives" is weakened. The conditions for the "Zai + Demonstrative Locatives" to express durative aspect and affirmative mood include: when the objects of predicative words are mass nouns; when the predicative words are stative words like live, opening, closing, naughty etc.; when the predicative are complicate ( verb/adjective + complement) and when the predicative are idioms. In Ming dynasty, the usage of weakening meaning of location, durative aspect and affirmative mood of the "Zai + Demonstrative Locatives" is still used in Northern and Southern China. Such usage declines in Northern China in Qing dynasty, but currently still widespread in Southern China.